Burnes enters his final season as team leader and it appears unlikely he will re-sign with Milwaukee, especially since he admitted last offseason’s arbitration hearing damaged his relationship with the team.
Although it seems unlikely that Milwaukee would consider trading for Burnes earlier this offseason, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Wednesday that rival teams “now believe there is a good chance” of giving Milwaukee the three-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner.Speaking to reporters at the winter meetings, manager Aaron Boone revealed that veteran DJ LeMahieu will be the team’s everyday third baseman in 2024, creating an interesting dynamic at second base between Gleyber Torres and Oswald Peraza.
Peraza, 23, needs an opportunity to play regularly, but he’s not a better option than Torres at the moment, even if he would get a higher return in a trade.
Considering Milwaukee’s second and third basemen combine for -0.2 and -0.9 WAR, respectively, in 2023, a versatile infielder like Peraza would be an attractive headliner in a package for Burnes .Signed: Whit Merrifield, ink supplierIf owner Hal Steinbrenner really goes all-in this offseason, he might as well add some All-Star talent to his bench. Merrifield slashed .272/.318/.382 with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs and stole 26 bases for the Toronto Blue Jays last season, splitting time at second base and the corner outfield spots.Given the latest roster turnover and current dilemma at second base, Merrifield is more of a luxury than a necessity, although he would still be a valuable addition for the Yankees. It wouldn’t hurt to have another solid defensive replacement for the outfield with Soto headed to the Bronx, and Merrifield is probably a more reliable offensive option than Peraza at this stage of their careers.
The Yankees will likely be among the leaders in home runs in 2024, but they need more players who can generate consistent contact after ranking 29th in hits (1,207) and batting average (.227) last season.
Merrifield has been consistent throughout his career, recording the seventh-most hits in MLB (1,184) since his debut in May 2016. Despite entering the season at age 35, the three-time American League stolen bases leader can still be an impactful runner for a Yankees team that stole 100 bases in 2023 and finished 21st in the Majors.
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